Where to go shooting on Mount Hood?

Does anyone know a good, safe place to shoot on Mount Hood? I love Mount Hood and want to take care of it, so I am trying to do this right. I am taking a small group of inexperienced young women up to Mount Hood for a camping trip on 7/13/16 (one week away). One of our main activities is shooting. I have called and stopped by the Zig Zag ranger station, scoured the internet looking for "where to shoot", I then spent about 5+ hours today driving around Mount Hood following directions from the ranger station and internet suggestions, but came up with no really good options. Can anyone help?

Yes, camping near zig zag. It was really difficult to find an area that had a good backstop that wasn't too rocky and didn't have us shooting at trees. I'm sure others may "shoot anywhere", but I would like to protect the forest and teach these young women how to do the same.

Yes, camping near zig zag. It was really difficult to find an area that had a good backstop that wasn't too rocky and didn't have us shooting at trees. I'm sure others may "shoot anywhere", but I would like to protect the forest and teach these young women how to do the same.

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I assumed proper backstops and target shooting rules applied. I see spots with litter like shotgun shells on my way up to hunt so I was guessing there might be something like that out there is why I commented on anywhere you can hunt.

The asphalt on NF-45 (from Hillockburn Rd.) eventually goes bad right at a cut-off around another shooting area called 5-Way. The road from HWY 224 is great all the way to the gravel pit.

If he's not up for Memaloose gravel pit, he's not going to be up for the other end.

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Is there a link showing that the NF 45 road from 224 is now open? Last I heard, in the last month or so, it was still closed because of the hillside in the first mile or two was unstable. I suppose a person could call the ranger station in Estacada?

Granted, the back way in from Hillock Burn rd is a looong drive! Never done it, but looks bad on the map.

nf 45 is closed from 224. I know there is another way to get onto it from springwater, but I have heard bad things about the lack of a good backstop. And depending on which direction you shoot off of nf 45, you could send lead in the direction of the highway! Me and my wife were just up at Wildcat mountain Yesterday shooting. Great spot, with a great backstop. as much as a 80 yard run. Its officially allowed and set up for target shooting by the forest service. Google maps link below.

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